The Tests Of Love
by VeneficaMelody
Summary: Sailor Moon follows Tuxedo Mask home after a battle one day and finds out something that she never dreamed possible. Now, knowing that the man she loves really loves her back, she begins to test him and find out if his love is true.
1. Default Chapter

Here's a story that I just wrote. I hope that everyone likes it. This is alternate 1-st season. Raye never went out with Darien, she only likes him. They know that Serena is the Moon Princess and they have the Silver Crystal, but Tuxedo Mask has not been revealed yet. Okay, well, read on!  
  
  
The Tests Of Love  
  
  
  
Sailor Moon stood on the rooftop, looking at the tuxedoed hero. She had no idea what had compelled her to follow him after the battle. It had just been an urge to find out who he really was. The masked man jumped onto a balcony and looked behind him as if to make sure that no one was following him. Sailor Moon stayed back so he could not see her.  
  
Opening the door, he ducked into the apartment. Gulping, Sailor Moon jumped down and landed on the balcony. Quietly, she slid open the glass door and, pushing back the curtains, walked in. Looking around, she found herself in a bare apartment room. It had a large-screen television against one wall, and a black leather couch across from it.   
  
There were no pictures on the wall; nothing that would hint to who owned the apartment. She heard water running and knew that he was taking a shower, probably washing off the goop from the last monster. Walking into the adjoining room (after making sure that it wasn't the bathroom) she found herself in a bedroom. It was as sparsely decorated as the other room.   
  
A bed sat against the wall and a bedside stand held a book and a lamp. Nothing fancy. Then she noticed a picture frame that held a ripped picture. Walking over, she lifted it and gasped at what she saw behind the glass. It was her! Well, her real identity anyway. Why would Tuxedo Mask have a picture of Serena Tsukino?  
  
She heard a door being opened and whirled. Her face went pale when she saw who it was. Standing there, his eyes wide in surprise, and wearing nothing but a towel loosely wrapped around his hips and dripping wet (A.N. woohoo!) stood Darien Chiba, her arch enemy!  
  
She stumbled back but was stopped but the bed. "Sailor Moon? What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning in confusion.  
  
"I-I-" she stuttered, staring at him.  
  
He smiled and walked over. "You okay? I mean, why are you here?"  
  
"I...um...I...followed you..." she squeaked.  
  
"Followed me? Then, you know that I'm..."  
  
She nodded, gulping. Frowning, she glanced down at the picture frame that she held. "Who is she? Your girlfriend?"   
  
He frowned. Taking the frame from her hands, he looked down at it for a few seconds before replacing it on the table. Looking back at her, he said, "Why are here?"  
  
"I asked you a question. Is she your girlfriend?" she persisted.  
  
"No... She's just a friend of mine."  
  
"How close of a friend?"  
  
He sighed. "What does it matter? You don't know her."  
  
"Tell me." she commanded, glaring at him.  
  
"Okay. She's just a girl I know."  
  
"Then why do you have her picture? I haven't seen any other pictures? What about your family or your other friends? Don't they deserve a place on your wall?"  
  
"I... I don't have many friends. My family is...dead." he said, moving his eyes to look at the other side of the room.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" she cried.  
  
He shook his head. "Don't bother feeling sorry for me. I'll go get dressed and we can talk. You can tell me why you're here."  
  
"Uh... No, it's okay. I just wanted to see who you are. Just...tell me one thing before I go?"  
  
"Sure. What is it?"  
  
"What kind of relationship do you two have? I mean, what kind of friends are you?"  
  
"Well, we're really more enemies than friends, but her attitude is always so happy that I can't help but lose some of my sadness and anger whenever I see her. I guess that's what makes her my best friend even if she hates me."  
  
"She could never hate you!" she cried.  
  
"How do you know? You don't even know her! If she would just give me a hint that we could at least be friends... Oh well." he sighed. "That's why I make sure that I'm there to bump into her every morning when she's late. So that I can have a chance for a better day than it would be otherwise."  
  
Sailor Moon smiled softly. "I-I have to go. Thank you for telling me."  
  
"Sailor Moon!" he called.  
  
She looked back. "Yeah?"  
  
"Could you...not tell the others about this? I don't want my identity known so soon."  
  
She nodded. "Okay. I won't tell them."  
  
Walking away, she went onto the balcony and jumped off. Leaping over rooftops on her way to her house, she smiled. Darien liked her! For so long, she had been in love with the man, but it seemed that he had only liked teasing her. But now... Ah, now she knew the truth! But he didn't know that... Ooh, the things she could do to get back at him for treating her so mean over the months they had known each other. But no, she wouldn't do that. She loved him too much to do something like that to him  
  
*********  
  
In her bedroom, she detransformed and crawled into bed. "Serena? Where did you go? The Senshi said they couldn't find you after the battle." the black cat said.  
  
"I was out walking, Luna."  
  
"Walking? Why?"  
  
"I needed to get rid of some of my energy. I was still energized after the battle."  
  
The cat nodded and yawned, lying back down. Serena stayed awake long into the night, thinking of Darien and what she had learned that night. Tomorrow, she would begin her plan to find out if he really did love her. Tomorrow, the tests would begin. She grinned and rolled onto her side to begin dreaming of him.  
  
  
  
  
Well, that's it for this chapter. I'll have the next one out soon. I hope you liked it. Please review.  
  



	2. The Tests Of Love--Part 2

Hey everybody! Here's the next chapter to "The Tests Of Love" I hope you like it.  
  
  
  
The Tests of Love-- Part 2  
  
  
  
Serena ran down the street. "AAAAH!!! I'M LATE!! MISS H. IS GONNA KILL ME!!" she shrieked.  
  
Rounding a corner, she smacked into something soft and yet hard at the same time. Rubbing her head, she looked up. It was Darien! "Hey, Meatball Head." he said.  
  
She gulped. "What do you want?" she asked, glaring at him.  
  
"Jeez, can't I bump into you? Oh, wait, you bumped into me. You're going to have to be more careful, Meatball Head." he said.  
  
"Um...right... I have to go; I'm gonna be late. Miss H. is gonna kill me if I'm late one more time. She even said that I might be suspended."  
  
Sniffling, she put her face in her hands and peeked up at him. "I... Uh, look, I'll take you, okay, Meatball Head? Just...don't cry. I...don't like to see you cry."  
  
Instantly, she brightened. "Okay!" she chirped. "What're you driving?"  
  
He smiled, gesturing to the curb. She looked over but didn't see anything except a motorcycle. "That's yours?!" she shrieked.  
  
He chuckled. "Yeah. Come on. I'll give you a lift to school so you won't get in trouble."  
  
She happily jumped on the motocycle behind him. Holding on to him, she grinned. He had passed the first test. Help her with school. Now, she had a few other things to test him on...  
  
*********  
  
Outside of Serena's school, she removed the helmet that he had given her. Handing it to him, she smiled. "Thanks, Darien."  
  
"No problem. What kind of person would I be if I didn't give you a lift?"  
  
She smiled. "Well, I'm glad that you're my friend."  
  
He looked at her, surprised. "Your friend? I-I'm your friend?"  
  
"Yeah. What else would you be?"  
  
"I-I don't know... I guess I never really thought we were friends."  
  
She giggled. "Well, we are."  
  
Leaning over, she hugged him and whispered, "Thanks."  
  
"For what?" he asked as she pulled away.  
  
"For being a friend. For being you."  
  
She smiled and walked into the school. Miss Haruna almost fell over when she saw Serena there ten minutes before the bell! Her friends were surprised that she was there so early as well.  
  
*********  
  
Serena sat with Mina, Amy, and Lita during lunch. They were sitting under the shade of a tree. "Serena, how did you get here so early? You must have been tired after the battle last night! I mean, I thought that would still be asleep. You stayed out longer than we did." Lita said.  
  
"Oh, well, Darien gave me a ride to school." she said matter-of-factly.  
  
"DARIEN?!?!" they all cried. Even Amy, who was usually quiet.  
  
"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"  
  
"Serena, just yesterday you said you hated him!" Mina exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah. What changed your mind?" Lita asked.  
  
"Oh, um, well, I just found out something about his past and I felt sorry for him."  
  
"Like what? How could you be sorry for him? You hate him! Besides, Raye likes him. I wouldn't get too close if I were you." Lita said.  
  
Serena frowned. "I don't think he likes Raye..." she said thoughtfully.  
  
"Huh? But Raye said that the Sacred Fire told her that she and Darien would be together." Mina said.  
  
"She must have been lying. All I know is that she and Darien can never be together. He's not like your ordinary person." Serena said.  
  
"Why not? Raye would flip if she knew you were saying that!"  
  
"Do you like him, Serena?" Mina asked.  
  
"What? No!"  
  
She turned her eyes away from them, hating having to lie to them. But she had already told lies to many people when she had to cover herself or a friend after or during a battle. The girls accepted her answer, but still wanted to know what she had found out at Darien's past. She refused to tell them. It was better that way. They had no need to know that he was Tuxedo Mask, or that he had no family. Darien didn't know that she kenw; he thought he had told Sailor Moon only.  
  
She sighed. If only he had trusted her enough to tell Serena, not her alter ego. "Serena? Are you okay?"   
  
She looked over at Amy. "I'm fine, Amy. Just thinking."  
  
The bell rang and they gathered up their stuff to go back to school. Serena stood at the door, looking out at the birds flying in the sky. How she wished to have freedom such as that! But it was not meant to be. She had her destiny; to be Sailor Moon and fight the evil. Turning, she went into the school as she heard a teacher yelling for her to get back to class.  
  
*********  
  
After school, Serena sat with Mina in the arcade, surprised by what she had just told her. "Are you kidding me? That's impossible!" Serena shrieked.  
  
"It's true. You and Darien are soul mates. I began suspecting it at lunch when you told us about Raye being wrong, and I checked up on it during my last class. The powers of Venus never lie. You two are meant to be together."  
  
Serena frowned, looking at the back of the arcade, but seeing nothing. "Raye is going to hate this... I can't hurt her like this... I mean, sure we fight every now and then, but I can't break her heart like this..."  
  
"You have no other choice, Serena. He's your destiny. Just like fighting is your destiny."  
  
Serena stared at her. "Fighting..." she whispered.  
  
"Yeah... You know, as Sailor Moon." she said quietly so that no one could hear her.  
  
Serena nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Fighting is my destiny, but this... No, you have to be wrong."  
  
"Serena, what is wrong with you? I know that you like him! You just won't admit it! You've admitted it to yourself, and now that you have a chance to get him, you just throw it away? How can you do that?" Mina asked.  
  
"Mina, it's not that simple. There are some things that you don't know about."  
  
"Like what? That thing in his past that you found out about? It's in the past! You have to let it go, and so does he!"  
  
Serena sighed. "Mina, you just don't get it." She picked up her bag and stuffed her notebook and pen in that she had been doodling with. "I have to go. Mom wants me back home early so I can help her with dinner. Talk to you later?"  
  
"Sure." Mina watched as her friend ran down the street. "Why can't she just accept that he is her destiny, not Raye's? Raye wouldn't care if Serena liked him, she would just go for it." Mina whispered to herself sadly.  
  
*******  
  
Serena trudged slowly down the street. It was so hard to decide what to do. Should she listen to Mina and go for it with Darien? She already knew that he felt friendship for her, but was it really love? Perhaps she should continue with the tests... But if he really did love her, Raye would be so heartbroken!  
  
"Hey, Meatball Head!"  
  
She turned to see Darien walked up. "Oh. Hi, Darien." she said.  
  
"What's wrong? You sound sad."  
  
"I... Nothing, really. Just some problems that I've been having."  
  
"Like what? Maybe I could help."  
  
"No, I don't think... Okay, who do you like better: Sailor Moon or Sailor Mars?"  
  
He frowned. "That's a rather odd question."  
  
"I know. Just answer. Please?"  
  
"Okay... Sailor Moon."  
  
"Really? I mean, uh, why her? Why not Mars?"  
  
"Well, Sailor Moon is...nice and sweet." he chuckled. "She can be clumsy sometimes, but that just makes her who she is. Sailor Mars is...too loud and fiery. I mean, she acts like she can have whatever she wants."  
  
Serena smiled slightly. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem. But what was that about? Are you having a fight about the Sailor Sesnhi or something?"  
  
"No... I just have a problem between some of my friends and I. A big problem."  
  
She sighed and looked up at the moon. "Can I help?" he asked.  
  
"No. But thanks."  
  
He nodded. "Okay... Serena, if you ever have a problem, you know you can come to me, right?"  
  
She looked at him, frowning slightly. "You? Well, yeah, I guess. Thanks for being a friend, Darien."  
  
"Sure. Come on, I'll walk you home."  
  
Serena walked beside him, sneaking glances at him when he wasn't looking. She admired his firm jaw and the way that he moved. He was so handsome! But he only thought of her as a friend...   
  
Darien looked at the girl beside him. Long blonde hair that seemed so silky... He would love to touch it! But he couldn't... She wasn't his. How he wished that she belonged to him!  
  
Standing in front of Serena's house, he sighed and looked at her. He didn't want her to have to leave! "Well, I hope that you get your problem solved, Serena."  
  
"Yeah... Thanks. Hey, you didn't call me Meatball Head!" she exclaimed in sudden realization.  
  
"Huh? Oh, well, I just thought that you didn't need me to annoy you tonight since you were so sad."  
  
"Oh." she said sadly. She had hoped that it had meant more than that.   
  
"Well, I hope that you can work out your problems. Bye." Darien said, turning away.  
  
"Wait!" He turned back. "Um... Do you think that we could be friends now?" she asked uncertainly.  
  
He smiled. "Sure. Tell you what, how about I give you a ride to school in the morning so you aren't late?"  
  
"Sure! That would be great!"  
  
Nodding, Darien walked away. Serena went into the house and ran up to her room. Sitting down on the bed, she picked up the phone and dialed the number. "Mina? Hey, it's me. Guess what? I just talked to Darien!"  
  
She told her cousin what had happened that night and then paused at the question. "Yeah, I-I guess I love him.. But Raye would--" She listened to what Mina had to say."I guess you're right. Okay. I don't care what Raye thinks about it." she said.  
  
********  
  
The next morning, she was rushing around, getting ready when there was a knock on the door. "Bye Mom, bye Dad! There's my ride!" she called, running to the door. "Come on, come on!" she said impatiently.  
  
"Ride?!" her parents asked, going to the door.   
  
"Get away from my daughter!!" Ken yelled as he saw Darien.  
  
Darien looked back at him. "What? I'm just giving her a ride to school." he said.  
  
"I don't care! You get away from her!"  
  
"Come on! I'm gonna be late!" Serena said, pulling Darien to the motorcycle that sat at the curb.  
  
"You're not taking my daughter on that thing!" Ken yelled again.  
  
Serena got on and put on the helmet. Darien got on as well, pulling on his own helmet and starting the motorcycle. In front of the school, Serena got off and handed the helmet to him. "Thanks for the lift." she said.  
  
"Mind telling me what that deal with your father was?" he asked.  
  
She looked at him uncertainly. "Um... Well, he's kind of over protective..."  
  
"Kind of? He looked like he wanted to kill me!" Darien exclaimed.  
  
She laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah. Dad can be like that..."  
  
"Serena, he was insane." Darien said dryly.  
  
She smiled and giggled. He laughed along with her. "Darien, I... Well, I just wanted to say..." she said uncertainly.  
  
"You should go. You don't want to be late." he said, looking away.  
  
"I... Yeah, I guess." She glanced at the school building and sighed. "Can you meet me after school? I-I want to talk to you about something..."  
  
He looked at her. "Sure, I guess. What do you want to talk about?"  
  
"Just...something important. I-I'll see you then."  
  
She turned and went into the building. Smiling, she knew that after school, she would tell him the truth. She would let him know that she knew that he was Tuxedo Mask and that she was Sailor Moon.   
  
  
  
  
Well, that's it for this chapter. Hope you liked it. 


	3. The Tests Of Love--Part 3

Hey everybody! Here's the next chapter. Thanks for all the people who reviewed my story so far. I'm glad that you like it.  
  
  
  
The Tests Of Love--Part 3  
  
  
After school, Serena stood at the gate, waiting for Darien. She sighed. There was so much riding on what she told him and how he took it! She knew the truth, but he didn't know that. How would he react when he found out who she was; what he had told her without knowing?  
  
She looked over as he pulled up on his motorcyle. Gulping, she turned to face him. Walking over, he nodded. "What did you want to talk about?"  
  
"Not here. Can we go somewhere else?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
They got on his motorcycle and went to his apartment. It was the privatest place he knew. Well, except when Sailor Moon had followed him, but he doubted that would happen again. What reason would she have for showing up again?  
  
In his apartment, they sat on the couch, facing each other. "Okay, what's this about? What is so important, Serena?" he asked.  
  
"I... Darien, I know your secret."  
  
He froze. "Secret? Wh-what do you mean?"  
  
*Oh my God! She can't... No, there's no way she can know... I never let on that I love her, did I?* he thought to himself. "I know that you're Tuxedo Mask and that you don't have a family." she said softly.  
  
He stared at her. "Wh-what?" *She doesn't know! Thank God!*  
  
"I know. You're probably wondering how, right?"  
  
"I..." he stuttered.  
  
"Well, I'll show you." She stood up and thrust her hand into the air. "Moon Prism Power!"  
  
Sailor Moon stood before him, looking at him. He stared at her. "S-Serena? How? I mean, when?"  
  
She giggled. "I hope that you're not mad. I mean, I didn't tell you who I was that night when I followed you from a battle. I kind of felt guilty about that..."  
  
He rose and took her in his arms. "I know why you didn't tell me. It was hard for you to accept it, wasn't it? I mean, it's not every day that you find out that your enemy is really the guy who saves you practically every day."  
  
"Yeah, I guess that's why I didn't say anything... No! That's not true!"  
  
He looked at her, surprised by her outburst. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I... I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure if you really liked me as Serena, or if you were just trying to get Sailor Moon away from you..."  
  
"Serena, I never felt that way! I always loved you. From the moment that you hit me on the head with that test paper to the very first time that I saved you." He tilted her head up and smiled at her. "You believe me, don't you?"  
  
"I... Yes. I just can't believe that you really mean it!"  
  
He chuckled. "Trust me, I do. I love you with all my heart, Serena. Sailor Moon."  
  
She hugged him. "I love you, too, Darien. Tuxedo Mask."  
  
Clasping her locket slightly, she detransformed and smiled up at him. Giggling, she wondered how she could have been so blind as to not notice who he was before. She ran into him practically every day and was rescued by him mere moments after! How could she have not linked the two?  
  
Brushing a few strands of golden hair from her face, Darien leaned down and gently placed his lips against hers. They were enjoying the kiss for a few moments and hoping that it would never end. But then.... Beep! Beep!   
  
They pulled apart. "What was that?" Darien asked.  
  
"My communicator." she said. Bringing it out, she punched in the button that would allow her to talk with whoever it was who was paging her. "What?" she cried, irritated.  
  
"Where were you? We had a meeting after school!" cried Raye.  
  
Serena sighed. "Right. Sorry, I forgot."  
  
"You forgot? Serena, this isn't something that you can forget! Senshi meetings are very important! We have to discuss the enemy, and Tuxedo Mask. We still don't know if he's an enemy or not!"  
  
"Trust me, Raye, he's a friend."  
  
"Oh, and how do you know? Do you know him or something?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"Um... Actually, yeah, I do." Serena glanced at Darien, a small smile on her face.  
  
"Sure you do."  
  
"Raye, that sarcastic tone is getting on my nerves." she said.  
  
"Well, if you weren't lying about why you aren't here, then maybe we could get something done at these meetings!" Raye shouted.  
  
Serena glared at her. "Fine! You want me at the meetings? Give me..." she glanced at Darien. "...fifteen minutes!"  
  
"Fifteen minutes? Oh, come on! You can't get anywhere in that amount of time! You're so slow even a turtle could pass you!"  
  
Silently, Serena turned off the communicator. Looking at Darien, she said, "Want to help me prove her wrong?"  
  
He grinned. "My pleasure."  
  
The both transformed and Darien (now Tuxedo Mask) lifted her into his arms and jumped off the balcony. After only ten minutes, they were at Raye's temple. It had taken so long because they were halfway across town, but still sooner than the priestess had expected. Walking into Raye's bedroom, (where they had chosen to hold the meeting) Sailor Moon smirked at her.   
  
"T-T-Tuxedo M-Mask!!" Raye shrieked.  
  
He winced. "Yes, that would be me." he said dryly.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Amy asked.  
  
"I accompanied Sailor Moon. She wanted to prove Sailor Mars--Raye--wrong." he said.  
  
Serena had told him who all of the Senshi were on the way over. "Um... Do you know who Sailor Moon is?" Raye asked.  
  
"I do. She is Serena Tsukino. Am I not supposed to know that?"  
  
"Uh... Okay... Who are you?"   
  
"I can't tell you that."  
  
"What? Why not?" Raye shrieked.  
  
"Because I feel that you don't have a need to know my identity at this time."  
  
"But...but... That's not fair!" she sputtered.  
  
"You'll just have to live with it." he said.  
  
Sailor Moon giggled. "Poor Raye." she said in a tone as fi she was talking to a child.  
  
Raye glared at her. "Serena, shut up!"  
  
"I'd watch what you say, Raye." Tuxedo Mask said in a calm tone.  
  
The priestess looked at him. "O-okay."   
  
He nodded stiffly. "Well, I should be getting home..." Sailor Moon said.  
  
She and Tuxedo Mask left the temple and made their way to Serena's house. Standing outside, she smiled at him. "Well, thanks. I mean, I enjoyed getting back at Raye." she said.  
  
"Of course." Taking her in his arms, he gently kissed her and sent her into the house. Once she was out of sight, he went home to dream about her and the love they had found.  
  
But the Senshi still have to be told who Tuxedo Mask is. Raye will surely go insane when she learns that the guy she has a crush on is in love with Serena.   
  
  
  
Well, that's it for this chapter. I hope that you liked it. Please review. I'll have the next chapter out as soon as I write it. In the next chapter, the Senshi find out who Tuxedo Mask is...maybe.... 


	4. The Tests Of Love--Part 4

Hey everybody! Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it.  
  
  
  
The Tests Of Love---Part 4  
  
  
  
Serena ran down the street, stuffing a piece of toast in her mouth. She was late for school, again. Rounding a corner, she bumped into something, but instead of falling onto the sidewalk, she was caught by a pair of strong arms that hauled her against a very firm chest. She looked up to see the midnight blue of Darien's eyes. He smiled at her. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Thanks."  
  
"No problem. Why were you running? If you needed a ride, you could have let me know." he told her.  
  
"I know, but I woke up later than usual and I had to rush and I didn't have time to let you know."  
  
He smiled. "Well, that's my old Meatball Head."  
  
She glared at him. "Darien... Don't call me that..." she said in warning.  
  
"Okay. Sorry."  
  
"Well, I do have to go to school..."  
  
He nodded. "I'll take you."  
  
"You have your motorcycle?"  
  
"No..."  
  
He pulled her into an alley and transformed into Tuxedo Mask. "What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"This way you can get a big reaction. I mean, how many people are carried to school by Tuxedo Mask?"  
  
She giggled. "Great!"  
  
He scooped her up and jumped across rooftops to the school. They got there five minutes before the bell rang. Everyone was still outside, and so they stared at Serena as she stepped gently on the ground. She smiled at Tuxedo Mask. "Thanks. This will really make those snobs go insane."  
  
He chuckled. "Well, anything for my princess."  
  
"Yeah. Well, I guess I'd better go and face the girls. They're going to want to know how I got you to bring me to school."  
  
"Just tell them that I...swept you off your feet."  
  
She giggled. Leaning down, he kissed her and the whole school yard was silent. Pulling back, he stared into her eyes. She smiled. "Thanks for bringing me to school. I don't know what I would have done if I had been late again..."  
  
"No problem. I'll always be here to help you out."  
  
Smiling, she went into the school yard as he left. Everyone stared at her. Molly and Melvin ran up to her. "Serena! That was Tuxedo Mask! How did you get him to bring you here?" Molly shrieked.  
  
"Um... He's my friend."  
  
"Friend? That kiss was a little more than friendly!"  
  
"I've heard that Tuxedo Mask is sweet on Sailor Moon. Why is he bringing you to school and kissing you?" Melvin asked.  
  
"He... Um, he doesn't like Sailor Moon anymore..."  
  
"Really? And why is that?"  
  
Serena sighed and shook her head, pushing past him. She found herself confronted by Amy, Lita, and Mina. "Serena, who is Tuxedo Mask? How did you get him to bring you to school?"  
  
"I... We met while I was running on my way here."  
  
"And he would be...?" Lita said.  
  
"Um... A friend."  
  
"Serena, tell us!" Mina cried in irritation. "I need to know so I can figure out if you guys are soul mates!"  
  
Serena sighed. "You don't need to know who he is to find out if we are soul mates, Mina. We all know that."  
  
"But I want to know!" she pleaded. "Please. Just a little hint!"  
  
"No!"   
  
Mina frowned. "Come on, girl! I'm your friend! Why won't you tell me?"  
  
"Mina, just forget about it!"  
  
The were stopped from continuing their conversation by the ringing of the school bell. Thankfully, Serena ran to her first class. She managed to avoid the girls until the end of school when they dragged her to the arcade.  
  
Sitting in the booth, Serena sipped her milkshake. Glancing every now and then at Darien who sat at the counter talking to Andrew, she wondered how the girls were so blind that they couldn't see it.  
  
"Well, are you going to tell us who he is?" Mina said.  
  
Serena sighed. "Mina, can't you just wait? He doesn't want you guys to know yet."  
  
"Why not? We're all friends! It's not like we'll tell the whole world or something!"  
  
"Tell the whole world what?" Andrew asked as he came up, toting Lita's hamburger.  
  
"That Serena is dating Tu-- Owww!!" she cried.  
  
Serena had kicked her in the leg. "Mina is just a little out of it today." Serena said through clenched teeth, glaring at the Senshi of Venus.  
  
Her face scrunched up in pain, Mina nodded slowly in agreement. "Okay..." Andrew said, putting down Lita's food and moving away.  
  
Lita picked up the hamburger and took a big bite, chewing appreciatevly. "So, are you going to tell us? Or should we hold him down at the next battle?" she asked after she swallowed.  
  
"Why can't you guys just accept what I'm telling you? He doesn't want you to know yet!"  
  
"Jeez, okay! No need to chew our heads off!" Mina said.  
  
Serena sighed and rolled her eyes. Gathering up her things and stuffing them in her bag, she got up. "I gotta go. See you later."  
  
Leaving the arcade, she smiled slightly at Darien who merely winked at her. Only Andrew noticed the exchange, luckily. "Er... Dare?" he said uncertainly.  
  
"Yeah?" Darien turned to look at him, taking a sip of coffee.  
  
"Um... Since when are you and Serena on friendly terms?"  
  
He chuckled. "What do you mean?"  
  
He glanced at the booth where Amy, Lita, and Mina still sat, hoping that they weren't paying any attention to their discussion. "Well, let's see, she smiled at you. You winked at her. And you didn't insult each other once. Now, that's pretty weird considering that you were at each other's throats the other day."  
  
"Yeah... Uh, well, Meatball Head and I have an understanding. She found out something that she shouldn't have known, but we made an agreement."  
  
"Oh. What did she find out? About your parents...?"  
  
"Yeah, and something else that you don't know."  
  
"Huh? No way! Why does she know something that I don't? That is totally not fair, man! Come on, spill! I'm your best friend here!" Andrew pleaded.  
  
"Sorry. I can't tell you."  
  
"But...but..."  
  
Darien rose and, drinking down the last dregs of coffee, he slipped on his green blazer. "I'll see you later, man."  
  
"Sure, and then you're going to tell me!" he called after him.   
  
*********  
  
Serena sat on a bench, looking up at the full moon. The silvery lake was a peaceful background to the tranquil scene. She heard footsteps and looked up. Darien stood there, smiling at her. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't know how long it will be before they realize that Amy can figure out who you are with her mini-data computer."  
  
He smiled slightly and sat down beside her, taking her in his arms. "Won't Raye be mad about this? I mean, I don't pay much attention to her; I barely know her. But I don't really want to make the Senshi of Fire mad at me..."  
  
Serena giggled. "I'm sure that she'll get over it. My father, I'm not so sure about."  
  
"Well, I'm sure that we'll be able to overcome that small obstacle." she said, snuggling into his arms.  
  
They talked long into the night. Finally, Darien looked down and saw that she was sleep. Gently easing her from his arms, he transformed and picked her up. Inside her bedroom, he laid her on the bed. Smiling gently, he brushed back a few strands of golden hair that had made their way onto her angelic face.  
  
"Sleep well, princess." he whispered, gently kissing her forehead.  
  
Going back out the window, he went back to his own home and had a sleep of dreams full of his angel named Serena.  
  
********  
  
Serena sat with the others in a Senshi meeting. They had decided to meet at Amy's house this time because her mother was at the hospital and Raye's temple was having a sale. The snacks were all healthy, to Serena's dismay.  
  
"Amy!" she whined. "Can't we have some cookies or chocolate?"  
  
"No. This is good for you. It's brain food." Amy pushed the vegetable platter toward Serena who groaned.  
  
A knock came at the door downstairs. "I'll get it." Raye said.  
  
She rose and went downstairs. Opening the door, she smiled widly. "Darien! What are you doing here? I mean, I didn't know that you knew I was going to be here!"  
  
"Raye. Uh... Can I talk to Serena?"  
  
"Wh-what?" she asked, her joy fading. The smile slipped from her face. "Serena? S-sure."  
  
Turning, she led him to Amy's room. The girls looked up. "Who was it, Raye? Was it someone for my mother? I hope you told them that she was at the hospital." Amy said.  
  
"Um... It's Darien." she said.  
  
Serena frowned. Raye sounded disappointed... Uh-oh! She wouldn't sound like that unless Darien had told her something that she didn't want to hear. Like... "Serena, can I talk to you?" Darien said.  
  
She got up, walking out into the hallway. "What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Well, let's see, where should I begin? I was at the arcade and a little girl came in and told me that I was her father and that you were her mother!" he said.  
  
Serena stared at him. "Are you serious?!"  
  
"Yes. I've never seen her before in my life!"  
  
"What's going on? I thought you two hated each other." Lita said. She and the others had come into the hallway.   
  
"Um... Okay, guys, Darien is Tuxedo Mask." Serena said.  
  
"WHAT?!" they all cried.  
  
"Yeah. Anyway, we kind of have a problem."  
  
She told them what Darien had told her. "Well, how old is she?" Mina asked.  
  
"She said she was 7." Darien told them.  
  
"Um... You haven't known each other that long." Mina said.  
  
"I know that! But we have to do something with the kid! She's at the arcade with Andrew, and I don't know how long she'll stay with him. She didn't want to let me leave!" Darien said.  
  
"Okay, let's go and see what we can find out about this kid." Serena said.   
  
They all left Amy's house and made their way to the arcade.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Well, that's it for this chapter. Serena and Darien's daughter coming into the picture was just a last minute idea. I bet you can guess who she is... Well, I'll have the next chapter out soon. Please review.  
  



	5. The Tests Of Love--Part 5

Hey everybody! Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it.  
  
  
  
The Tests Of Love--Part 5  
  
  
Serena, Darien, and the girls looked at the pink-haired girl sitting at the coutner. She was sipping a milkshake, talking to Andrew. "That's her." Darien said.  
  
Serena looked at her. She had never seen her before. Who was she? Suddenly, the girl looked her way. A smile broke out on her face. "Mommy! Daddy!" she cried.  
  
Leaping from her seat, she ran over and hugged Serena. She looked down at the girl, confused. "Uh... Are you lost, little girl?"  
  
The girl giggled. "No! Mommy, are you playing games again?"  
  
"Um... I'm not your mother."  
  
"Yes you are!"  
  
"Wh-what's your name?"  
  
"Rini. Well, actually, it's Serenity Small Lady Usagi Tsukino-Chiba."  
  
Serena's mouth dropped open. "Um..." was all she could manage.  
  
Rini giggled. "What's wrong, Mommy? You named me."  
  
"I...named you?"  
  
"Yeah. Are you okay, Mommy?"  
  
"Stop calling me that!"  
  
"Serena, calm down." Darien said.  
  
"Calm down? Darien, this girl is...is..."  
  
"She's your daughter!" Amy exclaimed. She had been scanning Rini with her computer discreetly.   
  
"Duh! You should know that!" Rini said, shaking her head.  
  
"How?" Serena asked, staring at the pink-haired girl.  
  
"What do you mean how? You're my mommy!"  
  
"I think what she means is...how can you be her daughter?" Raye said.  
  
"Um... I think something's wrong..." Rini said.  
  
"You can say that again!" Lita said.  
  
Rini sighed. "I better go home before Puu realizes that I messed up."  
  
"Where's home?" Mina asked.  
  
"Who's Puu?" Amy asked.  
  
"Home is... Oh, never mind! Come with me?"  
  
"Come with you? We can't..." Serena began.  
  
"Please?" Rini said.  
  
Serena sighed. "Oh, okay. We'll go. But we can't stay for long."  
  
" 'Kay!" Rini pulled them out of the arcade and went to the lake. Standing on the dock, she pulled out a golden key. Glancing at the others, she said, "You might want to transform before we go."  
  
They looked at each other. "How did you..." Mina asked.  
  
"Just do it. It'll be easier to get by Puu that way."  
  
Looking at each other, they did as she said. "Okay. We're ready." Sailor Venus said.  
  
Rini held up the key and shouted, "Time Key! Take me and my friends to the future!"  
  
"Future?!" the Senshi cried.  
  
They found themselves standing in front of a large gate. They were separated, though. Sailor Moon looked around the foggy area. "Tuxedo Mask? Senshi? Rini?" she called uncertainly.  
  
"You are not worthy!"  
  
She whirled around just in time to see a staff come swinging at her head. Jumping out of the way, she looked at the figure that came out of the fog. It was a woman with long green hair who was dressed like a Senshi. She frowned at Sailor Moon. "Wh-who are you?" Sailor Moon said.  
  
"I am the Guardian of Time! I proclaim that you are not worthy to be here! Go now before you are killed!"  
  
Sailor Moon backed away slowly. "Puu!"  
  
Rini ran up and hugged the woman around the legs. "Small Lady. What are you doing here? I thought that you were going to go to the past for training."  
  
"I messed up..." she said quietly.  
  
"Messed up? How?"  
  
"I went to the wrong place."  
  
The woman sighed. "Small Lady, I've told you that time is a very delicate thing."  
  
"I know... I brought Mommy, Daddy, and the Senshi!" she said brightly.  
  
The woman looked at them where they had gathered around Sailor Moon. "Forgive me. The fog hid you from my view." she said.  
  
"Sure." Sailor Moon laughed nervously. "No problem."  
  
"Who are you?" Sailor Mars asked.  
  
"I am Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of Space and Time."  
  
"Another Sailor Senshi? Cool!" Sailor Venus said.  
  
Sailor Pluto nodded. "Come. You must get to your destination. Although... Small Lady, you could have made a very grave mistake had they not already defeated the Dark Moon."  
  
"Who?" Sailor Jupiter asked.  
  
"Nothing... I forget that you do not know of them yet..."  
  
She raised the staff and said, "Gates of Time, I bid you, open! Allow these travelers to pass through your boundaries to the future!"  
  
The large gates opened at her command. "Come on!" Rini said.  
  
"I must warn you, be careful or you will be lost. The Time Stream is very delicate. Concentrate only on your destiny and you will arrive there shortly." Sailor Pluto said.  
  
The nodded and clasped hands. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask held Rini in the middle of them so they wouldn't lose her. Stepping into the gates, they were blinded by the bright light. Minutes later (or was it hours?) they emerged to see a city of crystal buildings with a large palace in the center. "Where are we?" Sailor Jupiter asked.  
  
"My home. Crystal Tokyo!" Rini said.  
  
They followed her to the palace and entered. Two guards bowed as they opened the doors. Walking through the corridors, the Senshi and Tuxedo Mask looked around. The decor was very stylish, if strict in some places. Most of the decorations, and the palace itself, was made of crystal.  
  
In the throne room, or so it seemed, they saw a woman and a man standing there, talking with another man. The woman had hair like Serena's, with a crescent moon mark on her forehead. She was wearing a white dress with wings on the back. The man with her looked like Tuxedo Mask, except that his outfit was white. He held a staff in one hand. The other man was wearing a white outfit and had white hair. He had a horn on his head, as well.  
  
The woman looked over. "Rini!" she exclaimed.  
  
The men looked as well. "Rini, what are you doing here?" asked the man who looked like Tuxedo Mask.  
  
"I went to the wrong place." Rini said.  
  
"Why are they here? And what time are they from?" the woman asked.  
  
"Um... I asked them to come. They're from...um... Well, I don't know." Rini said.  
  
The woman sighed. "What year are you from?"  
  
Sailor Moon looked at her and slowly answered. "Why does it matter? Who are you?"  
  
"Hm... In that year I was just... Well, no matter. I am Neo-Queen Serenity. This is my husband, Neo-King Endymion, and our friend, Helios. There is no need for you to know of his job just yet."  
  
Darien frowned. He knew that name. Endymion... Serenity... Why were those names so familiar? That was the thought running through everyone's mind. "Do I know you? Your names seem so familiar..." he said.  
  
Neo-King Endymion smiled. "I am your future self. My wife is Serena's future self. Rini is our daughter."  
  
Sailor Moon and Darien gasped, both blushing. "Ooh! A daughter!" Sailor Venus squealed.  
  
"Shut up!" Sailor Moon said.  
  
"Could somebody please explain this to me?" Sailor Jupiter said.  
  
"It's very simple. This is your future." Neo-Queen Serenity said.  
  
"Our future? You mean we're going to live in a glass city?"  
  
Neo-Queen Serenity laughed. "Not exactly glass, Jupiter. Crystal. Something far different. The world was taken over by coldness. A second Ice Age. I used the Silver Crystal to free it from centuries of darkness."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"This is going to happen... Our future..." Sailor Moon said.  
  
"Yes, if nothing happens to change it."  
  
"Dear, you can't tell them much of their future." Neo-King Endymion reminded her.  
  
"Of course. I know. Come, I will take you back to your home."   
  
"But... Couldn't we stay for a little while?" Sailor Moon asked.  
  
"What harm would it cause, Your Majesty? Surely they can be allowed to stay; if only for a short time." Helios said.  
  
"You are right. Allow them to stay." Neo-King Endymion said.  
  
"Very well. You can stay." Neo-Queen Serenity said, giving in to her husband and Helios.  
  
"Great. Can you explain this to us a little more? I would like to do some scans and see how your physical make-up and other things have changed." Sailor Mercury said.  
  
Neo-Queen Serenity sighed. "I'm sorry, Mercury, but no. We can't allow you to know too much about your future."  
  
"Your Majesty!" called a voice.  
  
They looked over to see two woman dressed like Senshi. One had sea-green hair, the other a dirty blonde with a golden hoop earring in one ear. "Yes? What is it?"   
  
"We have been called away on urgent business. Is it possible for us to go?" the tom-boyish one said.  
  
"Yes, you may go. Uranus, Neptune, be careful. Even though the Dark Moon has been defeated, there are still threats." Neo-Queen Serenity said.  
  
"We understand."  
  
The two turned, leaving as quietly as they had come. "Who were they?" Sailor Jupiter asked.  
  
"No one that you need to learn of just yet."   
  
She directed a servant to take them to rooms where they could rest. Sailor Moon sat in a chair, looking around. It was very stylish, if you liked crystal. Sighing, she put her head in her hands. Looking up at a knock on the door, she saw Neo-Queen Serenity standing there.  
  
The queen smiled, moving into the room. "Do you like the palace?"  
  
"It's okay..." Pausing, she said, "What are we doing here? I mean, why keep us here if we could learn something that we shouldn't?"  
  
"Well, it's better if you're here now. Sooner than you think, you'll have to deal with Rini on your own."  
  
"WHAT?! I can't have a kid! My parents will go insane!" she shrieked, staring at the queen with wide eyes.  
  
Neo-Queen Serenity just laughed. "I didn't mean that you're going to *have* her. You're just going to baby-sit her for a short time."  
  
"Oh... Well, I guess that's okay!"  
  
The queen smiled. Her past self was in a bright mood now, knowing that she would one day marry Darien for sure. "When would you like to go back?"  
  
"Back? Oh, you mean home! Um... Well, I don't know..." she hesitated.  
  
"Right. Well, we can ask the others."  
  
"Sure."  
  
The two exited the room and gathered together the Senshi and Tuxedo Mask. "We can't stay! Our families will be worried!" Sailor Mars said.  
  
"I have a very important math test tomorrow and I'm only 21 chapters ahead!" Sailor Mercury said.  
  
Everyone sweat-dropped at her remark. "Okay, I guess we leave today, then." Sailor Moon said.  
  
"Er... There's something you should know..." Neo-Queen Serenity said.  
  
"What?" Tuxedo Mask asked.  
  
"Each hour you spend here is equal to a day in your time."  
  
"WHAT?!" they all cried.  
  
"I missed the test!" Sailor Mercury said in fear.  
  
"Relax. We can send you back to the time right after you left." Neo-King Endymion said.  
  
"Really? Good!"  
  
They all stood in the throne room, along with Sailor Pluto. They had said their goodbyes and Rini was hugging her future parents. "I'll miss you!" the little girl cried.  
  
"We'll miss you, too, Rini." they said.  
  
Stepping back to stand with her parents, Rini waved at them until the were gone, swallowed up by time and space to travel back to their own place in time. Back in their own time,Serena stood with Tuxedo Mask. The Senshi had gone home, leaving the couple in peace.  
  
"I'm glad that Raye gave up." Darien said.  
  
"Yeah." Serena agreed.  
  
He hugged her tighly as they looked at the full moon. "At least we know that we'll have a good future."  
  
She giggled. "Mm. Complete with child."  
  
Leaning down, he kissed her gently, savoring the moment. A gentle breeze began to blow and, without them knowing it, they changed into their past selves for a moment before reverting back. A green-haired woman holding a staff stood behind some bushes, smiling. She turned and walked away so that she would not be eavesdropping on any personal conversations.  
  
  
  
  
Well, it's finished. Let me know what you thought! Please review if you haven't already done so! 


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